A majority of British Columbia residents support a proposed pipeline from Alberta to the province’s northern coast, according to polling data released Thursday, though significant concerns remain about lifting a decades-old tanker moratorium.
The Angus Reid Institute survey found 53% of British Columbians support the pipeline concept, with 37% opposed. Support now outweighs opposition by 16 percentage points, marking a significant departure from the heated pipeline debates that dominated the province over the past decade.
The poll comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith signed an energy cooperation agreement Thursday specifying conditions for a potential bitumen pipeline to the Pacific. The deal seeks to fast-track the project through federal approval processes, though no company has committed to building the pipeline.
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Support reached 60% nationally, with backing strongest in Alberta and Saskatchewan at 74% in both provinces.
The tanker ban along British Columbia’s northwest coast remains a major obstacle. The moratorium, in place voluntarily since 1972 and formalized in 2019, requires adjustment to allow oil shipments from a northern port.
British Columbia residents remain divided on the issue. Nearly half, 47%, either support an exception for this project or want the ban repealed entirely. However, 38% want the moratorium left untouched.
Related: Eby Joins First Nations Urging Ottawa To Hold The Tanker Ban
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Of those favoring the current moratorium, 88% oppose the pipeline. An additional 15% of residents remain uncertain about the tanker ban, representing a swing constituency that could determine the project’s political viability.
British Columbia Premier David Eby has opposed the pipeline proposal, saying it threatens other major infrastructure projects in the province. Carney said this week that British Columbia’s agreement, along with First Nations consent, represents necessary conditions for the project to proceed.
The poll found strong political divides. Among British Columbia residents who voted for the provincial NDP in last year’s election, 62% oppose the pipeline. By contrast, 91% of BC Conservative voters support it.
Indigenous ownership and environmental protections emerged as key conditions for many residents. A majority, 51%, said the pipeline approval requires Indigenous ownership. Even larger majorities want Alberta or the federal government to fund spill cleanup and increased coastal monitoring if the project proceeds.
The Angus Reid Institute conducted the survey November 26-27 among 1,851 Canadian adults. No company has proposed building the pipeline, and officials have not announced a route. Alberta has committed $14 million in initial funding while seeking private sector investment.
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